Big John: A Tank of A Man / #OperationLovingkindness #Harlem #NYC #positivedisruption #servantleadership

The more I practice serving others directly in the community the more my eyes acclimate to a different world that contrasts between empathy and evidences of apathy. My attitude as I initiate #OperationLovingkindness in Harlem, New York is one of humility. I begin by introducing myself and my purpose of bringing a revival of community and family in Harlem and then I begin to listen. I take stories from people who have shown selflessness, I bring energy and take smiles.

John was sitting in a ‘walking-chair’ for seniors, just like the one my own grandfather had the last years of his life. John is a father of two, and grandfather of seven. It was about eleven o’clock in the morning when I began a conversation with him after seeing his pin-studded soldiers cap.

I shared that my late-father served also and that I missed him. I then asked John if I could ask him some questions to write a part of his story on my blog and I requested to take his picture, to which he agreed to all. A nice man.

He served the people of the United States of America within Korea, above the politics or reasons for the war. Within the U.S. Army he was in the 3rd Armored Tank Division, based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, and also in the 380th Transportation Corps, which compromised the supply line to soldiers in the field of battle, and was based in Fort Mead, Maryland within the U.S. Army 2nd Division. He is proud of his service to the country. 

John did not agree for the reasons for the Korean War, still he did his duty to his country when called upon. Not only that, but he is proud of his service. I told him that the Lord had blessed him with a large family, to which he smiled, and that he was a servant leader for all of us.

We thanked each other for the time in conversation just outside Moore Park in Harlem, New York, August 30th, 2016.